Recipe: spiced lamb in baked aubergine boats

Recently, healthy cook Melissa Hemsley visited the Khoollect kitchen to make her best mixed side salad and spiced lamb in baked aubergine boats. Here’s what she told us about the boats:

‘This quick spiced lamb could be presented in many different ways – in a chickpea wrap, for instance, or to top a buckwheat pizza – but it is especially good on these baked aubergine boats. Look for long, thin aubergines and serve with a simple green salad. Add nuts or seeds to the mix; pistachio is my favourite here, as it adds a wonderful texture to the mince. Try drizzling with yoghurt or garlic yoghurt.’

Tip: You can use minced beef or any other mince here instead of lamb. For a meat-free version of this dish, swap the lamb for quinoa or lentils.

Preheat the oven to fan 220C/gas mark 9. Add half to the oil to two baking trays and pop in the oven for few minutes to melt.

2

Meanwhile, slice the aubergines in half lengthways and score the flesh in a tight criss-cross pattern, slicing down to the skin, but taking care not to cut through it.

3

Remove the trays from the oven and brush each aubergine piece, skin side up, with the hot oil. Turn the aubergines over so they are skin side down and divide between then trays. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until the flesh is just soft.

4

While they’re baking, start to prepare the lamb. Melt the remaining oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

5

Add the minced lamb and fry on a high heat for 5 mintues until browned, then add the garlic, cumin, chilli and tomato puree and cook for a further couple of minutes.

6

Pour in the hot water, bring to a medium simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the pistachios (if using) and lemon juice.

7

Remove the aubergine halves from the oven once soft, divide among plates and pile the spiced lamb on top. Scatter with mint and drizzle over some yoghurt.

Preheat the oven to fan 220C/gas mark 9. Add half to the oil to two baking trays and pop in the oven for few minutes to melt.

2

Meanwhile, slice the aubergines in half lengthways and score the flesh in a tight criss-cross pattern, slicing down to the skin, but taking care not to cut through it.

3

Remove the trays from the oven and brush each aubergine piece, skin side up, with the hot oil. Turn the aubergines over so they are skin side down and divide between then trays. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until the flesh is just soft.

4

While they’re baking, start to prepare the lamb. Melt the remaining oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

5

Add the minced lamb and fry on a high heat for 5 mintues until browned, then add the garlic, cumin, chilli and tomato puree and cook for a further couple of minutes.

6

Pour in the hot water, bring to a medium simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the pistachios (if using) and lemon juice.

7

Remove the aubergine halves from the oven once soft, divide among plates and pile the spiced lamb on top. Scatter with mint and drizzle over some yoghurt.

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Recently, healthy cook Melissa Hemsley visited the Khoollect kitchen to make her best mixed side salad and spiced lamb in baked aubergine boats. Here’s what she told us about the boats:

‘This quick spiced lamb could be presented in many different ways – in a chickpea wrap, for instance, or to top a buckwheat pizza – but it is especially good on these baked aubergine boats. Look for long, thin aubergines and serve with a simple green salad. Add nuts or seeds to the mix; pistachio is my favourite here, as it adds a wonderful texture to the mince. Try drizzling with yoghurt or garlic yoghurt.’

Tip: You can use minced beef or any other mince here instead of lamb. For a meat-free version of this dish, swap the lamb for quinoa or lentils.

Spiced lamb in baked aubergine boats

1

Preheat the oven to fan 220C/gas mark 9. Add half to the oil to two baking trays and pop in the oven for few minutes to melt.

2

Meanwhile, slice the aubergines in half lengthways and score the flesh in a tight criss-cross pattern, slicing down to the skin, but taking care not to cut through it.

3

Remove the trays from the oven and brush each aubergine piece, skin side up, with the hot oil. Turn the aubergines over so they are skin side down and divide between then trays. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until the flesh is just soft.

4

While they’re baking, start to prepare the lamb. Melt the remaining oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

5

Add the minced lamb and fry on a high heat for 5 mintues until browned, then add the garlic, cumin, chilli and tomato puree and cook for a further couple of minutes.

6

Pour in the hot water, bring to a medium simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the pistachios (if using) and lemon juice.

7

Remove the aubergine halves from the oven once soft, divide among plates and pile the spiced lamb on top. Scatter with mint and drizzle over some yoghurt.

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WRITTEN BY:

Sonya Gellert

Sonya Gellert is a contributing writer and associate editor for Khoollect. She lives in Sydney....